Date: 2016-11-10

Sir: Nigeria came alive in Kwara State when people heard on radio that the Senate turned down the request of the President Muhammadu Buhari (GMB), to borrow approximately $30 billion. Many of those who phoned-in said the Senate is very upright this time around, and should be appreciated and praised. A few persons, however, said the Senate was insensitive to the hunger and infrastructural decay in the land, and that it was wrong for the legislative body to block GMB's way.

On the whole, many Nigerians are realising that GMB has nothing to offer. Some of the opponents said that common Nigerians should endure hunger of less than three years than a debt that would cripple the future for posterity. Late 2011, the former President, Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan (GEAJ), told Nigerians to allow him remove fuel subsidy and he would use the proceeds to develop Nigeria's infrastructure. Many Nigerians didn't believe him; some did. On January 1, 2012, GEAJ forced fuel price increase on Nigerians, from N65 to N97 per liter.

What has GEAJ to show for the economic hardship he imposed on the people, riding on infrastructural deception? More money came into his government's covers and corruption thrived as usual. Some of the income went into fighting Boko Haram, and some went into bribery and corruption (haram), while perpetrating war against Boko Haram. In what way is GMB different? The only thing GMB promised in his campaign postal in 2015 was: "I will defeat Boko Haram." After about one and half years, all GMB is boasting about is having degraded Boko Haram and "fighting corruption."

You need not be told that GMB's triumphalism on Boko Haram is seriously dented by lack of solution to suicide bombing and ambush on Nigeria's security forces. Don't ask GMB: How many human lives and how much economic resources have you squandered on the war against Boko Haram; how many more lives and how much more money must be sacrificed on the altar of war, before you end your tenure in 2019? That is where those who expect GMB to spend all of $30 billion on infrastructure are deceiving themselves. GMB's "doctors are UK-based", and he must sell dollars at official price to Christian and Muslim pilgrimages. His daughter, Hadiza's "non-governmental organisation" must be funded, etc.

Will the Senate retrace its step and approve the debt for GMB? I read that what the Senate was looking for is "borrowing plan", meaning what GMB intends to do with the money, and the presidency is quoted as saying it would soon produce it. Already, there is nothing to suggest that the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, is happy about opposition to the proposed debt. He is used to leaving heavy debt behind for successor. Is the Senate concerned that GMB has not accounted for the 2016 budget nor for all the money he recovered from looted funds? Are GMB and the federal legislators not chop-I-chop?

* Prof. Oyeniran Abioje, University of Ilorin.